The Emerald Isle — 40 shades of green across wild Atlantic coastlines, ancient stone forts, peat bogs hiding Bronze Age bodies, and pub sessions where trad music flows as freely as Guinness.
- Capital
- Dublin
- Population
- 5,458,600
- Area
- 70,280 km²
- Languages
- English, Irish
- Currency
- Euro (€)
- GDP
- $598,840M
Good to know
Driving side
Left
National dish
Colcannon,Irish stew
Annual visitors
10,951,000 (2019)
Safety
Very low (0.65/100k)
Avg temp
9.7°C
Religion
Christianity
Coast
Coastal
☎ Police 999 · Ambulance 999 · Fire 999
Travel guide
Ireland (Irish: Éire), also known as the Republic of Ireland (Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann), has a rich culture that, along with its people, has been exported around the world. Some Irish history has been very dark indeed, but it remains a land of poets, story-tellers, and musicians, with marvellous scenery, an advanced knowledge economy, first-rate infrastructure, and leading industries, with a high gross domestic product and standard of living. Ireland has historically been referred to as ‘The Land of Saints and Scholars’, reflecting its long standing religious affinities as well as its many contributions to the fields of poetry and literature. Gaelic culture is alive and well; one way to experience it is to go to a pub which has a traditional music session on. The Irish language has declined and English is now the most common language, though there are still certain areas where Irish is frequently spoken. It can be worth your while to dig a little deeper before visiting Ireland to discover something about the older world that lies beneath. It is still living, though not always visible. Ireland.com is the website of the tourism bureau.
© Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA)
Explore Ireland
Best time to visit
May–September offers the most reliable weather. June–August is the warmest period for the Wild Atlantic Way. Autumn (September–October) has lovely colors. St Patrick's Day (March 17) is a cultural highlight despite uncertain weather.
Visa
EU/EEA citizens enter freely. US, Canada, Australia and most Western nationalities receive 90 days visa-free. Note: Ireland is NOT in Schengen — a UK or Irish visa is required separately.
Public holidays
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (2)
Book your trip to Ireland
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